The Philippine Coast Guard has started removing the floating barrier that Chinese maritime authorities installed to block access to the disputed Panatag or Scarborough Shoal.
Image from the Philippine Coast Guard shows one of its divers cutting the rope of the floating barrier at Panatag Shoal.
Videos shared by Tarriela showed a PCG diver swimming toward one of the buoys and cutting the rope with a knife. Other Coast Guard personnel lifted what appeared to be an anchor. “It’s a violation of our rights to our EEZ. We can remove this,” Remulla said at a press briefing, referring to the floating barrier laid down by the Chinese to keep Filipino fishermen from the shoal lagoon also called Scarborough.
“The Marcos administration must go beyond lodging diplomatic protests and take the necessary steps to have these nuisance floating objects immediately removed from our territorial waters,” Bobby Roldan, vice chairman for Luzon of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas , said yesterday.
He was referring to the 2012 standoff between the Philippine Navy and the Chinese maritime militia triggered by the latter’s blocking the arrest of poachers in Panatag Shoal. He added the Chinese would only install the barrier every time they sense the arrival of more Filipino fishermen in the area.Despite the presence of the floating barrier, Tarriela maintained that Datu Bankaw’s mission was a success.
He said helping Filipino fishermen is a priority of the government, whether in the West Philippine Sea or in any other part of the country.Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra meanwhile said his office is gathering information on all incidents of Chinese abuses in the West Philippine Sea.
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